This invention generally relates to medical access devices and, more specifically, to a trocar cannula with an atraumatic tip.
During use of a trocar in a surgical procedure, such as a laparoscopic procedure, a trocar is placed across the abdominal wall and the trocar cannula is left disposed across the abdominal wall. The distal tip of the cannula is positioned on the anterior side of the abdominal wall. Laparoscopic procedures can utilize several trocars across the abdominal wall and therefore several cannulas may be disposed across the abdominal wall at the same time. With several cannulas disposed across the abdominal wall, it can be difficult to constantly observe and monitor the positioning of the distal tips of the cannulas while the laparoscopic procedure is being conducted. For example, because of the number of cannulas disposed across an abdominal wall in a laparoscopic procedure, it is possible for a cannula tip to unintentionally engage body tissue out of the surgeon's field of view provided by the laparoscope and camera. The trocar in accordance with aspects of the present invention minimizes the possibility for a trocar cannula to inadvertently engage and traumatize body tissue in a body cavity, due to accidental misuse, for example, by providing a cannula with a distal tip, which is elastomeric, compliant, soft, and generally atraumatic.